Toy vortex gun



12, 1958 J. E. DRYNAN 2,846,996

TOY VORTEX GUN Filed May 25, 1955 INVENTOR. JOHN E. DRYNAN ATTORNEYS TOY VORTEX GUN John E. Drynan, Ocean Park, Wash.

Application May 23, 1955, Serial No. 510,376

3 Claims. (Cl. 124-1) This invention relates to toy guns, and more particularly relates to improvements in toy vortex guns adapted to discharge a concentrated mass of air.

Conventional vortex guns are relatively ineflicient because of the large inertia of the piston or diaphragm and associated moving parts which prevents rapid acceleration and high diaphragm velocity and because only half the available working stroke of the usual diaphragm type impeller is utilized.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a toy vortex gun having improved means for discharging a mass of air or air missile therefrom with effective striking force at a greater range of distance.

A further object is to provide a toy vortex gun having an improved arrangement of parts whereby a diaphragm operative member is adapted to move a diaphragm with a continual pulling force from a rearwardly projected or cocked position to a forwardly projected position.

A further object is to provide a toy vortex gun having improved means for cocking the gun which is of light weight and simple structure and which does not impede movement of the diaphragm between a rearwardly cocked position and a forwardly released position.

Another object is to provide an especially high velocity diaphragm having a long range of movement.

Additional objects of the invention are to provide a toy vortex gun which is simple in structure and effective in operation, which is safe for children to use, and which is attractive in appearance.

These and other objects are accomplished by a structure utilizing a barrel portion or air chamber having at one end a reduced opening. A diaphragm is mounted within the barrel and is connected to a resilient diaphragm operative member adapted to move the diaphragm through a long working stroke from a rearwardly projected or cocked position to a forwardly projected or released position at a high velocity whereby, during each such forward movement, a concentrated mass of air is expelled through the reduced opening. An important feature of the invention is that the resilient diaphragm operative member is anchored in the barrel forwardly of the diaphragm and is adapted to impart a continual pulling force on said diaphragm from said rearwardly projected position to said forwardly projected position. This structure imparts an improved compressive action on air in the barrel when the diaphragm is released because of the follow-through movement of the diaphragm under the pulling force of the resilient member. Another feature is that the moving parts associated with the diaphragm have negligible friction and low inertia so that they do not frictionally or otherwise retard movement of the diaphragm when it is discharging a mass of air. A target is utilized with the present gun, comprising thin paper strips whereby it can be readily determined in what spot the bullet of air contacted the target.

The invention will be better understood and additional objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the ac- 2,846,996 Patented Aug. 12, 1958 2 companying drawings which illustrate preferred forms of the invention. .It is to be understood, however, that the invention may take other forms, and that all such modifications and variations within the scope of the appended claims which will occur to persons skilled in the art are included in the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the present toy vortex Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the gun showing the internal working parts thereof, the gun being shown in cocked condition;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 2 but showing the parts in rest or uncocked position;

Figure 4 is an exploded view showing the structure of the trigger mechanism;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified form of diaphragm operating member; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a target which may be used with the present gun.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the present toy gun comprises, in general, a housing portion 16 and a depending handle 11 in the form of a pistol grip. The housing portion 10 comprises a barrel 12, a breech end 13, and a central conically shaped portion 14 provided with a plurality of apertures 15 for admitting air freely into the interior of the barrel. The housing parts 12, 13 and 14 may comprise one integral structure, or these portions may be separate parts and secured together in a suitable manner. The muzzle end of barrel 12 has an inturned flange 18 forming a central opening 19 which is considerably smaller in diameter than the diameter of the barrel 12, and with this structure, concentrated masses of air which may be ejected from the end of the barrel are ring shaped and are capable of traveling a considerable distance without appreciably dissipating.

The handle 11 has on its top edge a pair of upwardly projecting ribs 20 and 21 forming a channel 22 therebetween. The grip 11 has a trigger guard 23 and has a vertical passageway 24 communicating between the channel 22 and the opening formed by the trigger guard. The forward end of the handle 11 at the top edge has an inclined portion 25 which is preferably recessed to fit the contour of the central conical portion 14, the barrel being secured to the handle by any suitable means.

Mounted in the housing 10 is a diaphragm 30 which preferably comprises a non-elastic fabric material. The peripheral edge of the diaphragm is secured in any suitable manner to the barrel, and, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, it may be secured between the juncture of the barrel 12 and the central conical portion 14. Connected centrally to the diaphragm 30 is a light-weight wire tension member 31 having an eye 32 on one end and having an eye 33 and ball 34 or other type enlargement on the opposite end. Secured to the eye 32 is an elastic member 36 which may comprise a rubber band, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, or a spring 36, as shown in Figure 6. The member 36 has its ends anchored at 37 in the barrel 12, the anchor points 37 being forwardly of the diaphragm and thereby urging the diaphragm in a forwardly projected position, as shown in Figure 3, when the parts are in rest position. The diaphragm is fixedly attached to the wire 31 adjacent the eye 32 by any suitable means or, if desired, it may be secured directly to the eye 32.

Secured to the eye 33 of the wire 31 is a draw cord 38 extending through an aperture 39 in the breech portion 13 and terminating in a knob 40 disposed exteriorly of the breech portion. Secured to the cord 38 is a flexible elastic strip 42 anchored at 43, which is designed to take the slack out of the cord 38 when it is loose, such as when the gun is in cocked position, Figure 2, and at the same time to maintain the knob 40 in engagement with the breech portion 13.

Longitudinal movement of the wire 31 between a rearward cocked position and a forward rest position is controlled by a trigger mechanism comprising a trigger .46 which actuates and controls a catch or lever 47. Trigger 46 is rotatable on a pin 48 mounted in opposite side walls of the passageway 24, and the catch 47 is rotatably mounted on a pin 49 mounted in the ribs and 21 of the handle 11, the catch 47 having upwardly projecting finger portions 50 which extend above the top edge of the ribs 20 and 21, as shown in Figure 1. Trigger 46 and catch 47 have ear portions 52 and 53, respectively, to which is attached elastic members 54 for urging the trigger and catch in a clockwise direction, the trigger 46 being limited in its clockwise movement by engagement with the forward wall of the groove 24, as shown in Figure 2, and the catch 47 being limited in its clockwise movement by suitable stop means 56. When the catch 47 is in rest position and disengaged from the trigger 46, as shown in Figure 3, a portion of the fingers 50 still project above the top edges of the ribs 20 and 21, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3.

To cock the gun, the knob is pulled outwardly in the direction of the dotted line and arrow in Figure 3. The knob 40 is pulled out a sufficient distance that the ball 34 on the wire 31 is disposed to the rear of the catch 47, so that when the knob 46) is released the ball 34 will engage behind the fingers of the catch and pivot the catch into engagement with the trigger 46, as shown in Figure 2, the parts being centrally aligned so that when the knob 40 is pulled back the ball 33 will ride over the top of fingers 50 and the wire 31 will be disposed between said fingers.

With the gun cocked, the slack in cord 38 is held forward and out of the way by the elastic strip 42, and the elastic member 36 which actuates the diaphragm 30 is stretched in a position in readiness to exert a forward pull on the diaphragm. When the trigger is pulled the catch 47 is disengaged therefrom and the elastic member 36 is released to pull the diaphragm forwardly in rapid motion to discharge from the muzzle opening 19 a concentrated mass of air in the form of a ring. An important feature of the present invention is that the diaphragm moves from its rearwardly projected or cocked position, shown in Figure 2, to its forwardly projected or rest position under continual pulling force of the elastic member 36, and such forceful followthrough of the diaphragm past its medial position effects an improved air bullet in that it has greater concentration and impetus and will travel a greater distance without dissipation. In addition, the diaphragm in its forward movement does not have to carry therewith any heavy or cumbersome parts or members, and, therefore, the acceleration and velocity of the diaphragm are not retarded in its forward movement. The wire 31 is merely a tension memher and may be of light material. The elastic 36 never becomes relaxed but is still under tension and in stretched condition even in Figure 3. Cord 38 provides a lost motion connection between cocking knob 41) and the diaphragm so that knob 40 is not pulled forward with the diaphragm when the latter is released.

Figure 7 shows a target which is especially adaptable for use with the present gun. The target comprises a wire frame on which is mounted a shredded paper sheet 61 having markings thereon simulating an actual bulls-eye. The paper 61 is of light weight and it is readily determined at what point the mass of air impinges.

Having now described my invention and in what manner the same may be used, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A vortex gun comprising a barrel having a muzzle end with an air discharge opening of smaller diameter than the barrel, a limp, lightweight, flexible diaphragm in said barrel, means for fixedly securing the periphery of said diaphragm to said barrel at a distance from said muzzle end, said diaphragm having sufficient fullness of material in excess of the cross sectional area of the barrel to permit its center portion to extend a considerable distance axially of the barrel in opposite directions from the point of securement of its periphery without stretching said material, resilient means operable on said center portion of the diaphragm to hold said center portion in extended position a considerable distance ahead of said point of securement of its periphery, cocking means for moving said center portion of the diaphragm against the force of said resilient means to an extended position a considerable distance behind said point of securement, latch mechanism for holding the diaphragm in said last position, and a trigger for releasing said latch mechanism to produce the rapid forward movement of the diaphragm to its forward extended position under the action of said resilient means, said cocking means in cluding a rnanipulable cocking member having a lost motion connection with said diaphragm so that said cocking member is not required to follow the forward move ment of the diaphragm when said latch mechanism is released.

2. A vortex gun as defined in claim 1, said cocking member being accessible at the rear end of the gun and movable rearwardly to latch the diaphragm in its rearwardly extended position, said cocking member, after latching the diaphragm, being returnable to a forward rest position without moving the diaphragm.

3. A vortex gun as defined in claim 1, said resilient means comprising resilient tension members connected between the center of the diaphragm and points in said barrel forward from the diaphragm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,473,178 Dray Nov. 6, 1923 1,806,067 Lejeune May 19, 1931 2,534,398 Beathan Dec. 19, 1950 2,614,551 Shelton Oct. 21, 1952 

